TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Consumers' Foundation (消費者文教基金會) held a transportation forum in Taipei on Tuesday (June 25), discussing urban bus and pedestrian safety, designated driving post-alcohol consumption, and taxi service diversification. Speaking at the forum, Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Yen-po (陳彥伯) outlined ambitious targets to achieve zero traffic deaths by 2050, aiming to reduce overall traffic fatalities by 30% and pedestrian deaths by 50% before 2030.
Chen highlighted that despite a slight decrease in fatalities last year to 3,023, the reduction fell short of the 5% annual target. This year’s first-quarter fatalities totaled 772, nearly missing the same reduction goal with a 4.8% decrease. Notably, pedestrian deaths increased to 119, up by 16 from the previous year. To address these challenges, Chen emphasized the need for a comprehensive transportation strategy revised every four years and called for local governments to create detailed implementation plans.
President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) is prioritizing traffic safety, urging faster progress from both the Ministry of Transportation and local authorities. The government plans to enhance road safety by improving 400 high-risk intersections within the next three months and targeting upgrades at 799 local and 2,000 provincial intersections by year’s end. Additionally, the newly launched 'Road Safety Mobilization' (道安總動員) website offers a platform for the public to engage directly with road safety issues, reporting problems for immediate resolution.
